here are few things as joyful as watching children frolic freely in the great outdoors. And with research showing outside play improves children’ s physical, mental and emotional health, it’ s never been more important to lure them off screens and into nature.

“ We get a hit of dopamine [ a feel-good hormone ] from nature that has a lasting impact on our nervous system,” says Kait Cummins, mum of four and occupational therapist from The Play Way( theplayway. com).“ It’ s a calming response that stays with us for hours.

“ Time outdoors is important for eye health as well. We’ re seeing more kids

developing myopia, which is shortsightedness, because their vision hasn’ t been trained to look at distant things.”

Dr Jenny Brown, author of The Parenting Paradox: Loving Our Children By Giving Them Space To Grow, says outdoor play is also beneficial for encouraging initiative.“ From hide-and-seek to tiggy to pretending to be different characters, they can direct their play, which is so beautiful and essential for their development,” she says.

The good news is you don’ t have to construct an epic adventure playground in your backyard to get your kids off their tablets. We asked the experts for their top

tips for tweaking any outdoor space to create a wonderful, playful haven.

Landscaping for littlies

As much as adults might dream of a perfectly manicured garden, Shane Kingsbury, principal landscape architect at Sydney’ s Inspired Exteriors( inspiredexteriors. com. au), says kidfriendly gardens tend to be more freeflowing, using natural elements that are also functional for play.“ I’ ve got sandstone boulders near my back deck and my two-year-old always climbs on them,” Shane says.“ Large logs are great for balancing on as well.”

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26 | SEP / OCT 2026 COSTCO CONNECTION